Innovative Medical Navigation Interfaces in Laparoscopic Control: A Systematic Review

Minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) replaced traditional open surgeries to reduce scarring and blood loss. This procedure involves making small abdominal incisions for the placement of instruments and a laparoscope that provides visual access for the surgeon. Initially, an assistant held the laparoscope throughout the procedure, however, with technological advances, teleoperated systems have emerged where surgeons controlled it with bodily impulses. More recently, automated systems have been introduced where the camera is repositioned using image processing and artificial intelligence. This study systematically reviews the advancements in laparoscope camera control over the past decade. It involved searching PubMed and Web of Science until 1st September 2023, using keywords such as “MIS control”, “MIS holders” and “robotics in MIS”, yielding 905 publications. After reviewing abstracts, 71 studies were selected for full reading and classified into manual, teleoperated, automated, or hybrid control systems. This results found diverse innovative approaches to laparoscope camera control, however, few automatic methods have yet been validated in clinics. In the last five years, automatic and hybrid systems have increased significantly, approaching the number of teleoperated solutions. In the future, it is expected that these systems will improve precision and reduce the workload of medical teams.